Posts Tagged organic

… in laboratory research. The study showed that all of the above were significantly higher in the organic oranges.

(Summary by Kasia kines, MS, CN, CNS, LDN. Kasia is a licensed nutritionist at …

Osteoporosis is a disease where bones become fragile and more likely to break. It is important to understand that bones are not lifeless structures, but instead are complex living tissue.

Just like our skin, bones are constantly broken down and built back up with new, healthy, pliable bone. Two cells involved in bone maintenance are osteoblasts and osteoclasts. The osteoblasts are the “bone builders.” In contrast, the osteoclasts are the cells responsible for the breakdown of old, brittle bone. The ratio of these two types of bone cells must be in balance to maintain strong and healthy bones.

Due to the Standard American Lifestyle your bones break down faster than new bones can be formed. In women, bone deterioration accelerates after menopause due to the fact that the ovaries stop producing estrogen, a hormone that protects against bone loss.

Your blood is a tightly controlled system that requires biochemical finesse in order to make an optimal environment for your cells and organs to function. Blood pH is of critical importance, if your blood gets even slightly acidic then the critical enzymes would not function and death would occur. In order to maintain proper pH the body utilizes minerals to act as a buffering system. So how does your blood get acidic? The answer is food and stress. When you eat lots of animal protein, refined carbohydrates like bread, pasta, white rice and sugar these things add acid to your body.

When you eat vegetables and low-sugar fruits you neutralize some of that acid. The problem is you need 5 times as much alkaline food to neutralize 1 part of acid food. Stress also will cause excessive acid to form in the body. So what does this have to do with your bones?

The bones are your body’s mineral bank account. If you aren’t giving it plenty of those green leafy vegetables then your body will have to choose, between death or osteoporosis. In this case, your body becomes like Robin Hood, it steals from the mineral rich bones and gives to the mineral poor blood and organs.

To maintain bone health we should make sure that the bones have all of the necessary mineral building blocks. These building blocks feed the osteoblasts so as to keep new and healthy bone developing over your life. A readily absorbed bone mineral formula such as Osteo Plus will accomplish this. I would also suggest an additional 2,000-4,000 iu of vitamin D during the Spring and Summer and 4,000-6,000 iu during the winter months.

On top of this, adding a green drink full of concentrated green vegetables and superfoods will help keep your body alkaline by providing phytochemicals and organic minerals that neutralize acid.

To treat osteoporosis the standard procedure has been to take drugs such as Fosamax to inhibit bone deterioration and to increase intake of calcium. In the short term this approach may provide benefit to bone strength and fracture risk. There is concern, however,  of the long term ramifications of such an approach. This approach may result in poor quality bone and thus could lead to increased risk of fractures years later. To avoid this, our goal is to increase bone formation and normalize bone deterioration.

We suggest that calcium, magnesium, boron, proteins, and other trace minerals be taken to help increase bone formation. The average diet consists of 600 mg of calcium so most people should only supplement with another 600-800 mg of calcium daily. There are many different types of calcium available, however not all of them are efficient forms. Calcium carbonate, found in Oscal, Tums, and their popular little brother Viactive, is considered the worst form of calcium. This form does not absorb due to its buffering effect in the stomach. Calcium carbonate needs an acidic environment of the stomach in order to dissolve.

Some good forms of calcium are calcium citrate, calcium citrate-malate, calcium MCHA, and calcium lactate. We suggest that magnesium be taken in a 2:1 or 1:1 ratio of calcium to magnesium. Daily, 2,000-5,000 units of Vitamin D can be taken.

An intake of 3-6 mg of boron a day is recommended.

Vitamin K stimulates new bone growth. Vitamin K1 can be obtained by eating vegetables, however, this form has not been effective at improving bone density.  Vitamin K2, produced through fermentation of K1, increases bone growth and normalizes bone deterioration.

Trace minerals can be found in many good bone-mineral formulas.

All these suggested supplements are primarily the elemental building blocks of bone formation. The body needs a stimulus for the bone formation. This stimulus is in the form of weight bearing and resistance exercise. Walking is just not enough because it does not put enough stress on the bones, the best exercise is weight lifting. In order to promote bone growth you will need to stress the bones that are in need of growth. In other words, you can’t rely on a bicep curl to make the hip bone stronger. Placing weight on the shoulders and doing squats may be a better option.

If you suffer from osteoporosis, you may need to do this under the supervision of a physical therapist. You may also want to purchase a weighted vest to wear while walking. This may help add more stress to the bones to stimulate their growth. If you suffer from osteoporosis, you may want to purchase walking poles, which are ski poles that have been built for walking. This helps to stabilize your gait and increase the number of calories you burn. Be sure to check with your doctor.

If you have weak bones, such as with osteopenia or osteoporosis, here are the suggestions for building healthy bones:

1. Progena’s OsteoPlus – This is a comprehensive bone mineral formula that provides you with the calcium, magnesium, boron and other trace minerals in their best absorbed and utilized forms. 4 tablets daily taken in two divided doses.

2. Vitamin D - Vitamin D helps the body absorb and utilize the minerals. We suggest 1 capsule daily in addition to the vitamin D in your multi and bone mineral formula. We shoot for 2,000 – 5,000 IU on a daily basis, especially during the winter months.

4. Vitamin K – 15 – 45 mg daily. Vitamin K supplements is especially important in those that do not eat a lot of green leafy vegetables. If you have mildly unhealthy bones you may want to use Super K by Life Extension Foundation. If you have moderate to severely compromised bone health, you may want to try Ultra K2 (1 cap three times daily).

What to do to prevent bone loss:

1. OsteoPlus – 2 tabs in A.M. 2 tab in P.M.
2. Vitamin D 2,000 IU – 1 Softgel in the A.M.
3. Doctor’s for Nutrition Greens First – 1 scoop once or twice daily

Standard Program for Mildly unhealthy bones  (Osteopenia/Mild Osteoporosis):

1. OsteoPlus – 2 tabs in A.M. 2 tab in P.M.
2. Vitamin D and K with Iodine – 1 capsule in the A.M.
3. Doctor’s for Nutrition Greens First – 1 scoop once or twice daily

Aggressive program for moderate to severely unhealthy bones:

1. Bone Guard Forte by Perque – 3 tabs in A.M. 2 tabs in P.M.
2. Vitamin D 5,000 iu – 1 capsule in the A.M
3. Complementary Prescriotions Ultra K2 – 1 capsule three times daily
4. Doctor’s for Nutrition Greens First – 1 scoop once or twice daily

Years ago, researchers placed rats on a diet that was high in coconut oil. Soon the researchers noticed that the cholesterol levels were becoming elevated and by the study’s end, the rats had developed plaques in the arteries consistent with heart disease.

Soon, the media was reporting that saturated fat, found in coconut oil, was the cause of our heart disease epidemic. There was one problem, however; the study wasn’t about coconut oil…

What Happens to Rats Who Are Deficient in Essential Fatty Acids?

When the researchers set out to study the rats, their intention was to study what happens to rats that become deficient in essential fatty acids such as, omega-6 and omega-3 fats. To do this, the researchers had to use a fat that was devoid of omega-6 and omega-3 fats. The problem was, most fats that are totally devoid of essential fatty acids are hard to incorporate into rat chow.  In fact, the researchers couldn’t find a fat in nature that was totally devoid of essential fatty acids…so they manufactured one.

It Looks Like Coconut Oil & Tastes Like Coconut Oil, But…

Of all of the fats that the researchers evaluated for the study, coconut oil was closest to the ideal oil. Unfortunately, natural coconut oil contains a small quantity of essential fats, which the researchers had to remove in order to make sure the rats became totally depleted of EFAs. To achieve this, the researchers developed hydrogenated coconut oil, a coconut oil that is flooded with hydrogen in order to remove all EFAs. There was one problem…

Hydrogenation Produces Trans-fats!

During the course of the study, the researchers were setting up the perfect storm for heart disease to develop…They were inducing an essential fatty acid deficiency and simultaneously flooding the rat’s body with trans-fats, which are known to promote high cholesterol and heart disease!

Right Observation…Wrong Finding

The researchers concluded that essential fatty acid deficiency leads to high cholesterol and heart disease. The media concluded that eating coconut oil causes high cholesterol and heart disease…

They Were Both Wrong!

Well, they were both only partially right. Essential fatty acid deficiency probably does cause heart disease, but this study only proves that EFA deficiency along with supplementation with trans-fats causes heart disease. The media was also partially right, eating coconut oil does cause high cholesterol and heart disease, but only if it is hydrogenated coconut oil, full of trans-fats, in combination with an EFA deficient diet.

They rightly observed that feeding rats coconut oil led to heart disease, but they wrongly deduced that the coconut oil was to blame. In fact, it was the hydrogenation of coconut oil and the EFA deficiency that ultimately led to catastrophic problems.

Natural Extra-Virgin Coconut Oil is Healthy!

In 1992, researchers performed a review of the published research on coconut oil. They concluded that unadulterated coconut oil did not cause elevated cholesterol nor did it cause an increased risk of heart disease (Philippine Journal of Internal Medicine 30:165-171;1992.)

In 1994, researchers added natural, unadulterated coconut oil to the diets of men with normal cholesterol. By the study’s end, their cholesterol increased from 166.7 to 170.0 mg/dl, however, the bad cholesterol came down a little while the good cholesterol went up a little. By the study’s end, the men enjoyed a healthier cholesterol balance. (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 59:841-846;1994.)

In 1991, researchers fed 83 men and women a diet that was comprised of 24% fat, of which 75% came from coconut oil. By the study’s end, the total cholesterol went up by 17%, however, the bad cholesterol came down while the good cholesterol increased by 21.4%!

This is a small sampling of the scientific evidence that proves coconut oil to be safe and healthy cooking oil.

Extra-Virgin Coconut Oil is the Healthiest of ALL Cooking Oil

In this video, I explain why coconut oil is the best cooking oil compared to canola oil, olive oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil, corn oil, and corn oil.

Where to Get Extra-Virgin Coconut Oil

There are many brands of extra-virgin coconut oil on the market. I personally use the Nutiva Extra-Virgin Coconut Oil in my cooking, which is available in our online store. Other brands include:

Garden of Life Extra Virgin Coconut Oil

Jarrow Formulas Extra-Virgin Coconut Oil

How to Choose a Good Coconut Oil

As I mentioned, there are many good brands of extra-virgin coconut oil on the market:

1. Only choose extra-virgin coconut oil – Extra-virgin means that you are getting unadulterated and unrefined coconut oil.
2. Organic is Not Essential – Because coconuts are not typically sprayed with pesticides, it is not essential that it be organic.
3. It should be a white-solid at room temperature – Pure extra-virgin coconut oil is a white, soft, solid at room temperature. It will turn to a clear liquid at temperatures slightly above room temperature.
4. It should be lightly aromatic – In other words, it should smell like a coconut
5. It should have a mild and pleasant flavor – It is from coconut, so it does have a bit of a coconut flavor to it. If it is not right for your recipe, then use extra-virgin olive oil as an alternative.

Extra-virgin coconut oil is a safe and healthy oil to use in cooking and you should enjoy this oil without fear of heart disease or high cholesterol. Due to its mild, coconut flavor, it may not be appropriate for all recipes. If coconut oil doesn’t work for your recipe, then turn to organic butter as a second option followed by extra-virgin olive oil.

Argument: If I eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, then I don’t need to add vitamins and minerals.
Answer: The argument that the nutritional needs of the body can be thoroughly met through diet is probably a valid one, as long as certain assumptions hold true. The main assumption is that the diet is made up almost entirely of fresh fruit and vegetables from local and trusted growers who understand crop rotation and proper soil fertilization. A fruit’s nutrition is highest at the height of its ripeness when the fruit is just about to fall from the tree, bush or vine. This makes great evolutionary sense as the purpose of the fruit is to propagate the species of the plant. The survival of the seed is most probable when the fruit contains the nutrition necessary to allow the seedling to develop. In addition, the sweetness and nutrition content of the fruit increase the likelihood that the fruit will be eaten by animals that scour the grasses for food. This helps both the animal and the plant as the animal gets food and the plant’s seed gets spread to different areas as it passes through the stool of the animal onto fertile ground elsewhere. The problem is that most conventional fruit is picked unripe and then ripened on the way to the store through artificial processes using ethylene. This makes for a fruit or vegetable that contains suboptimal levels of nutrients. A study performed at Oregon State University found that green blackberries contain only 74 mg/100 grams of anthocyanins (a plant compound/antioxidant known to protect the body from heart disease and cancer) compared to 317 mg/100 grams for vine ripened blackberries. (J Agric Food Chem. 2004 Sep 22;52(19):5907-13.) Research in Spain demonstrated that cherries picked prematurely contained one-half the level of vitamin C as cherries picked ripe (J Agric Food Chem. 2005 Apr 6;53(7):2741-5.)

In addition, due to the over farming of lands there is not enough nutrition in the soil to make for highly nutritive foods. For example, each time a watermelon is picked from the land some of the nutrition goes with it, after all, a fundamental law of physics is you cannot make something from nothing. Over time the soil gets depleted and the nutrition in the fruits and vegetables suffer. To make matters worse, the growers use a process of selective breeding to increase pith and water (the pith is the fibrous material such as the netting around the pulp of the orange and the white fluff just under the skin). This makes for big, attractive and heavy fruit with less vitamin and mineral content. These plant breeders lovingly refer to this process as the “dilution effect”. An example of this effect is with a very popular breed of broccoli called “Marathon” which is big and green and according to the USDA contains half the calcium and magnesium of other more nutritious hybrids of broccoli. All of this results in more weight and less nutrition.

In a 2004 study, scientists discovered that the nutrition content for 6 nutrients have declined significantly in fruits and vegetables since 1950. These nutrients include calcium, riboflavin, vitamin C, iron, potassium and protein. (J Am Coll Nutr. 2004 Dec;23(6):669-82) This study from the University of Texas evaluated the nutrient content over time of 43 garden crops. This study takes into account the effect of many different factors including ethylene ripening, the dilution effect, the use of commercial fertilizer, over farming, etc.
So is it possible to find nutrient dense fruits and vegetables? I believe so. Studies have shown that organic fruits and vegetables have more vitamins, minerals and antioxidants when compared to conventional produce. (J Agric Food Chem. 2002 Sep 11;50(19):5458-62; J Agric Food Chem. 2003 Feb 26;51(5):1237-41) Even if you regularly use organic produce, you will need to eat larger quantities of these fruits and vegetables to meet the vitamin, mineral and antioxidant needs of the body. I believe that people who meet these produce requirements are the exception rather than the rule.

One final argument on this subject doesn’t have to do with the nutrient content of the food as much as it has to do with nutrient needs of the body. Today’s body has to deal with an onslaught of toxic attack that we did not evolve on. Cleaning product, pollutions, stress and out gassing of carpets and paint all cause a withdrawal from the antioxidant and nutrient reserves of the body. We cannot assume that the nutrient needs of yesteryear apply to today! In other words, you need more nutrition today just to meet the minimum needs! Research has found that the great majority of the population does not meet the pitiful RDA requirements for one or more nutrients.

Argument: Doesn’t supplementation just cause expensive urine?
Answer: Whenever I debate the need for supplementation it seems that the first argument is always the same, “All that you are doing with nutritional supplements is making expensive urine.” This argument comes from the point that any excess of water soluble nutrients that you take in will be excreted through the urine. So if you take 1,000 mg of vitamin C and your body only uses 500 mg then you will kick out 500 mg of the vitamin C as “waste”. My answer to this is, better a surplus than a deficiency! When you supplement, you do run the risk of losing some extra nutrients in the urine. This argument can be made for those who eat plenty of fruits and vegetables as you will likely see more vitamins and minerals in their urine as well. Does this mean that you should not eat fruits and vegetables? In addition, if you want to talk about expensive urine let’s talk about the urine of people who take medications. You will find a significant amount of these medications in the urine and stool of these patients. So you choose- expensive urine full of vitamins or expensive urine full of medications.

Argument: We eat more food than most other countries, aren’t my nutrition needs being met?
Answer: I agree with the first statement regarding the quantity of food that we eat, however, I disagree with the second part of the statement which refers to the quality of food. Our society has built a food culture that creates a population of overfed and undernourished people. This means that calories are plentiful but nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals are deficient. This is the main reason why supplementation is so important. Starvation as it pertains to energy is not a common problem here in the United States, however, cellular starvation is a major problem. This means that the cells have all of the fuel that they require to function; however, the cells may not have the micronutrients necessary to be able to convert the fuel to energy and appropriately distribute that energy to various functions such as the immune and repair systems. This is like a car with a full tank of gas and no spark plugs. Remember, practically every study that has evaluated various vitamin and mineral levels in the blood have correlated higher levels of food nutrients with significantly better health. This means getting nutrients from whole food sources when possible and supporting with supplementation as an insurance policy.

Argument: There are no studies to support the need for supplementation.
Answer: This statement is just plain ridiculous! There is a tremendous amount of research on nutrition and its benefit to health. I have never understood how people make this comment when I am drowning in studies published in peer reviewed journals demonstrating the benefit and safety of nutritional supplementation. Search PubMed or Medline (the same search engine used by your doctor) on omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, coenzyme Q 10, vitamin E, vitamin C, etc. You will be blown away by the results that you get. As far as safety goes, according to the 2005 annual report in the journal Clinical Toxicity, which evaluates the reports from 61 poison control centers in the U.S., out of 53 billion doses of supplemental vitamin supplements there was not even one death reported. Tragically, Tylenol was not so lucky being responsible for numerous adverse events and deaths.
I have dedicated my life to the study of longevity and, more importantly, to the study of vitality. My definite purpose is to design a system of living that allows people like you and me to live long, energetic lives full of LIFE ENERGY! To accomplish this goal, a system is needed that will prevent disease and promote energy production, circulation, repair and rejuvenation throughout our entire lives. It is my belief that this goal can be met with a healthy diet full of fresh, raw, organic, healthy foods. It is also my belief that with each day that science “revolutionizes” our lives and food industries this becomes harder and harder. Although it is possible to live long and healthy lives without supplementation, it is less likely today than ever before and the majority of us need supplements to meet our body’s needs.

Of these 68 studies, only 47 trials of the “best conducted” studies were included in the final analysis. This is beginning to sound a lot like the vitamin E study that came out last year wrongfully claiming that vitamin E increases risk of death. So let’s talk about this new study out of Copenhagen University. After removing all of the studies that the researchers deemed “lower quality”, they found the following:

1. 4% increased risk of death with vitamin E
2. 16% increased risk of death with vitamin A
3. 7% increased risk of death with beta carotene
4. No benefit or harm from vitamin C

Keep in mind that these findings were not statistically significance until certain studies deemed of poor quality were eliminated. These studies were generally performed on sick people and were not necessarily designed to evaluate mortality. Also, remember that the definition of the “poor quality” of the unused studies was determined by the researchers, not by some proven system. These types of studies commonly lend themselves to the personal bias of the researchers.

So what is my take on the study and its findings? First, let us talk about the press. The press learned from the start that “the glass is half empty” article will sells more papers than “the glass is half full” article. This is no secret to researchers and I believe that they commonly use this principle to their advantage. Researchers, who spend their lives tucked away in a laboratory for years hidden from the sun, dream of the day when their great discovery will get them their well-deserved fame and fortune. The problem is, that day doesn’t come. Their research flops and they are under great pressure from the university to make something happen or pack up their lab rats and go. These universities also want the fame and fortune and if they don’t get it, they will find someone else who will deliver. I feel that these researchers end up consciously or unconsciously designing their research to support a specific predetermined finding. And the finding is usually a negative one (because the press eats that up), especially when it involves natural products. In this study, that is likely what happened.

I don’t believe for a minute that these supplements actually result in an increase in mortality. A ton of research to date has supported the safety of these supplements in both animals and humans. However, I will concede the probability that these products offered little or no benefit. You see, mortality data are hard to come by unless you are studying a population who is very sick and are expected to have a high death rate within a year or two. And people with extremely severe illnesses are not going to magically get better with 200 units of a synthetic vitamin E over 6 months. Smokers are not going to benefit by taking a capsule full of something resembling beta carotene for a couple of years. It wouldn’t take a rocket scientist to see this, it was a waste of money to even do the studies. You will rarely hear us suggest vitamin E alone or beta carotene alone. It just doesn’t make sense to believe that in the complex biochemical soup of our body, made up of trillions of biochemical reactions, we will be able to fix a dysfunctional system by adding one vitamin to the mix. It is a known fact that vitamins and nutrients work together and we need to satisfy all of these nutrient needs to benefit the body.

What do we suggest?

Balanced multi-vitamins such as Purity’s Perfect Multi and Nutrient 950 are much better means to providing full spectrum nutrition to the body. Instead of trying to correct a single nutrient deficiency these multi formulas respect the complexity of our biochemical makeup and provide all of the main foundation nutrients in the right forms and doses to positively impact the body. If you are looking for extra antioxidant support in your multi, I would suggest the Polyphenol Nutrients by Pure Encapsulations . This is an upgrade to the Nutrient 950 product; it adds some very potent whole food antioxidants. We also suggest that you get some sort of whole food concentrate that supplies the phytochemcials and nutrients that are only found in food. Our favorite products are Greens First powder and the Daily 5 fruit powder . Both these products are easily tolerated and certified organic.

Take home messages:

1. You will not die from vitamin C, E, beta carotene or vitamin A unless you choke on them.
2. Don’t expect miracles from one nutrient. Get your vitamins and minerals together.
3. Get some sort of whole food concentrate to complete your supplement program.
4. Eat good food first and then make up the difference with nutritional supplements.

Be sure to tune in to our radio program on Sunday, March 2; we will be discussing this topic in detail. The Your Prescription for Health radio show airs every Sunday from 10am-12pm on WCBM 680 AM. You can listen anywhere in the world through the internet at www.wcbm.com/

This newsletter can be forwarded, reprinted and distributed freely as long as it is sent unchanged and full credit is given to the author and organization. ©2006 Your Prescription for Health www.illnessisoptional.com

First, I want to talk about the two most fundamental forms of essential fatty acids.

Parent Essential Fats (PEFs) – These are primarily vegetarian sources and are made up of the true essential fatty acids that cannot be made by the body. Examples of PEFs are alpha linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-3 fatty acid from flax, chia and other nuts and seeds. Another example would be linoleic acid which is an omega-6 fatty acid from nuts and seeds. Neither can be made by the body and thus must be consumed. They are primarily used as building blocks for the second fundamental form of essential fatty acids—Essential Fatty Acid Metabolites (EFAMs).

Essential Fatty Acid Metabolites—EFAMs are the fatty acid metabolites that are made from the parent essential fatty acids. These are commonly found in animal sources such as meat and eggs because the animal has converted the PEFs into the active metabolites. The two most famous omega-3 fatty acids are EPA and DHA from fish, shrimp and wild game. These two are the most abundant essential fatty acid metabolites but are not the only important EFAMs. These can be made in the body and thus are not considered true essential fatty acids; however, if the body cannot produce sufficient amounts then these fatty acid metabolites become conditionally essential and thus must be consumed. There are a number of reasons why these fats may become conditionally essential. One big change in paradigm for me has been how we look at these EFAMs. We would often talk about how fish oil was the only omega-3 fatty acid supplement you needed because the fish has converted the PEFs for you; however, perhaps the body wants the ability to make the EPA, DHA and any other metabolites as it sees fit. As you will see, the new approach focuses on providing the body with higher levels of PEFs and smaller, supportive doses of the EFAMs such as the EPA and DHA found in fish oil. This will prevent an excess of active metabolites while allowing the body to decide how much EPA, DHA, and other metabolites it wants depending on need.

Why Can’t Some People Make Enough EFAMs?

There are a number of reasons why some people have difficulty converting the parent essential fatty acids into active essential fatty acid metabolites.
Genetics – Some people’s bodies just do not produce the necessary enzymes to convert the parent essential fats into the active metabolites. These people must include the EFAMs in their diet.

Trans fat consumption—I don’t need to preach the evils of trans fats, let me sum up the topic of trans fats by just saying this, “Trans fats are the devil.” They poison the system by occupying the membrane of the cell, crowding out healthy fats and inactivating the enzymes needed for proper conversion of PEFs. They have been linked to cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure and other diseases.

Too little saturated fat intake—That’s right, you may not be getting enough saturated fat in the diet from clean sources. I am not talking about hydrogenated oils, I am talking about natural saturated fats from such sources as organic butter and coconut oil. It turns out that saturated fats are essential in the conversion of PEFs into EFAMs.

Certain metabolic health problems—Diabetes and Syndrome X cause a deficiency of certain enzymes needed for the conversion of PEFs into EFAMs. Other conditions and medications may also effect the ability to convert PEFs, especially omega-3 fatty acids, into the active metabolites. If you consider yourself to be in bad health then it is recommended that you take special care to get the EFAMs from omega-3 fatty acid sources such as fish oil, free-range egg and fish.

The omega-3 fatty acids are still considered one of the most important nutritional supplements that one can take. There are four reasons why this supplement is so high on our list of priorities:

Our diets are dangerously deficient in healthy, undamaged omega-3 fatty acids.
The way that we cook and process foods destroy the healthy qualities of the omega-3 fatty acids

We consume far too many omega-6 fatty acid containing foods
Our diets and lifestyles contribute to an inability to convert precursor essential fatty acids into active fatty acid metabolites. More on this later…

In a nutshell, there are many different fatty acids that are important to our health. Although we have a tendency to focus on the EPA and DHA, two fatty acids found in fish oil, it is important to note that there are many different types of fatty acid metabolites that are also important to the body. This is why we were never big fans of fish oil supplements that claim to “concentrate the omega-3 fatty acids and throw away the rest.”

When we evaluate the work of researchers who study the diets of our hunter/gatherer ancestors we find some pretty interesting stuff.

Our bodies appear to be built to function on a diet that contains an omega-6 to omega-3 ratio of between 6:1 and 1:1. This means for every 1-6 grams of omega-6 fatty acids we should be getting 1 gram of omega-3 fatty acids.
The primary source of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, in our ancestors’ diets, was from plant sources. Wild game was more of a treat and thus the PEFs were likely the primary source of omega-3 fatty acids with small doses of the EFAM omega-3 fatty acids when available.

Our body is very efficient in absorption of polyunsaturated essential fatty acids and appears to have no system for controlling essential fatty acid uptake into the cell. This means that the concentration of PEFs and EFAMs in the cell are proportional to the intake. This likely stems from a relative scarcity of PEFs in the diet and a relative importance to health as we evolved. This means that if 10% of our fat consumption comes from essential fatty acids then our cell membranes will contain close to 10% of the fatty acids as those same EFAs.

Why Our Efficiency at Absorbing EFAs May Be Killing Us

As I have researched essential fatty acids and their impact on our health, I have concluded with more certainty than ever, that a healthy balance of proper fats is essential to the achievement of optimal health. On the flip side, the consumption of the wrong fats and/or damaged/oxidized fats is one of the most important contributors to disease. The reason for such a negative impact on our health seems to stem from the efficiency with which our body seems to absorb and utilize the fats that we consume.

Over the past century, our fat intake has changed dramatically. Whereas the consumption of essential fatty acids was somewhat scarce in our diet, now they are abundant. This abundance of essential fats, omega-3 fats included, can result in too much of a good thing as we started to cook, fry and otherwise process these fats in such a way that results in damaged/oxidized polyunsaturated fatty acids. These damaged fats take advantage of our efficiency in absorbing healthy fat and end up entering the membranes of our cells. These oxidized fats ultimately cause dysfunction in the cell that seems to be a major player in the development of disease, especially heart disease, obesity and cancer. In addition, the abundance of omega-6 fatty acids, also oxidized, throws the balance of omega-3 fatty acids further out of whack. With the combined effect, we have the perfect storm for disease:

Unbalanced ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids which can reach a level of up to 20:1 in many diets.

The abundance of oxidized/damaged omega-3 and omega 6 fatty acids.

In a nutshell, the average American’s cell membranes are full of oxidized fats and even if they were not oxidized, the imbalanced ratio alone would be sufficient to cause disease and dysfunction. We are in real trouble here. Did you know that scientists dissected the plaques of arteries from people who had died from heart disease and discovered almost no saturated fat in the arteries and plaques of these unlucky people? You know what they found plenty of? That’s right, oxidized omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Yet we spend so much time and money attacking saturated fats when in essence it is the intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids, specifically oxidized omega-6 fats, that are to blame for many of our health problems. Saturated fats appear to be benign at worst and helpful at best!

Changing the Paradigm for Fats & Oils

I started the article by saying that I have been rethinking my approach to supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids and fish oil. Let me now discuss my conclusions:

What we eat is more important than what we supplement with. We must first stop consuming oxidized polyunsaturated fatty acids which means we want to avoid fried foods, especially those cooked and fried in oils which are high in polyunsaturated fatty acids such as: Canola oil, grapeseed oil, walnut oil, corn oil, safflower oil and soybean oil.

If you do cook, use extra virgin coconut oil or organic butter as these contain saturated fats that will not oxidize nor will they through the omega-6:omega-3 ratio out of balance. Do not worry about the saturated fats in these oils as they will not cause heart disease as the authorities report. I also like to snack on a combination of organic coconut flakes and chia seeds called CocoChia by a company called Living Fuel Rx. I consume s couple tablespoons daily, it is a delicious treat and provides both healthy saturated and omega-3 PEFs.

For many people, fish oil cannot be called an essential fatty acid because the body does have the capacity to make the EFAMs, EPA and DHA, that are found in fish. It should be considered conditionally essential in those groups who I discussed earlier in the article, however, for most of us these fats should be taken in as natural a form as possible and used in smaller quantities. They should also be used in the context as support for a lifestyle and diet that is low in cooked polyunsaturated oils, as described above. For general maintenance, we are recommending a new, whole food fish oil product that is called WholeMega by New Chapter . This formula is a brand new form of fish oil that is standardized to more than just EPA/DHA. In fact, it contains many different EFAMs that exist in smaller quantities but play critical roles in the health of the body. In addition, this product has a natural antioxidant that is built into the fish oil so as to prevent oxidation within the capsule and body. The recommended dose for many people is 2-4 capsules daily. In some people, higher doses of this or another fish oil may be needed.

Supplement with PEFs. The majority of the essential fatty acids should come from the parent essential fats, this will permit the body to make its own EFAMs as it sees fit. We should consume these fats raw and uncooked and they should compromise only a small percent of our caloric intake. According to fatty acid expert, Mary Enig, Ph.D., omega-3 fatty acids should compromise 1-1.5% of our caloric intake. If your daily caloric intake is 2,000 calories, you should consume 2.2-3.3 grams of PEF omega-3 fatty acids. In addition, we should consume 2-3% of our caloric intake as omega-6 fatty acids which means someone who eats 2,000 calories daily should consume 4.4-6.7 grams of omega-6 fats. This consumption can come from diet and/or supplements but it should be in an unadulterated form. I recommend the formula called Udo’s 3-6-9 Oil Blend which can be used as a liquid on top of prepared food or in capsule form as a supplement to prepared food.

Trans Fats should be avoided entirely. These fats are not naturally found in the diet and wreak havoc on the health of the body. Trans fatty acids will short-circuit our the efforts above. The government now requires that foods list the quantity of trans fat within prepared foods, however, the food industry has found creative ways to mask the trans fat content of food by making the serving size of food so small that it can legally say “Contains 0 grams of Trans fat”. In addition, the industry has replaced trans fats with a new kind of fat called interesterified fatty acids that may turn out to be worst than trans fats. We will talk more about this in the future.

Make sure that you eat plenty of colorful fruits and vegetables and supplement with plenty of antioxidants in order to protect these fats from unwanted oxidation.

Don’t be afraid of saturated fat or cholesterol in the diet. In fact, eating a free-range egg a day is a good practice to provide the body with important EFAMs, PEFs, antioxidants, amino acids, and phospholipids.

Watch your intake of refined carbohydrates. When you consume excessive levels of carbohydrates, the way that your body processes fats gets disturbed. We have discussed this in detail in previous articles and radio shows, so I will spare you today.

Get a copy of Know Your Fats by Dr. Mary G. Enig. This book, although quite technical, really does a good job of answering the questions around consuming healthy fats.

A colleague of mine, named Blythe Alberg, wrote a wonderful article about eggs entitled, Eggs…are they REALLY the PERFECT Fat Loss Food and it inspired me to continue the discussion. In today’s article, I just want to briefly help you distinguish between the different types of eggs on the market. It used to be that we had only one choice in the supermarket, now we must decide amongst a number of different types of eggs and their prices can vary greatly. So let’s talk about some of the more commonly found types of eggs…

1. Free-Range Eggs – The eggs come from chickens that have continuous access to the outdoors and food, unfortunately there are currently no standards to what “outdoors” means. This could be interpreted as a fenced in basketball court or an open field, it is up to the farmer because there are no government requirements. If you are getting your free-range eggs from a reputable source it will mean “pasture-raised” but be warned, some of the less-than-honest companies may not be so forthcoming.

2. Pasture-Raised – These are considered the best type of egg because the chickens are allowed to roam open fields and peck at vegetation and bugs. This results in a superior egg that is full of lutein, omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin A & E. In addition, these eggs have a tendency to have less saturated fat and cholesterol.

3. Vegetarian-Fed – This means that the chickens that produce the eggs can only be fed vegetarian foods with no animal byproducts. This is not a significant improvement over conventional eggs because they can be fed corn and other grains that fatten them up but do not improve the nutrition of the egg.

4. Organic Eggs – These eggs must meet strict guidelines that include keeping the chickens outdoors, no antibiotics and all vegetarian feed that is produced without the use of artificial fertilizers and pesticides. An improvement over conventional eggs, however, if the chicken is fed organic corn then it may not result in the same kind of nutritious qualities associated with pasture-raised eggs.

5. Natural Eggs or Naturally Raised Eggs – This means NOTHING because eggs are non-processed and thus are considered natural.

6. Omega-3 Eggs – These eggs come from chickens that are fed food sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Such sources include algae and flaxseeds. This does improve the nutrition of the eggs by increasing their omega-3 content.

7. Hormone-Free/Antibiotic-Free – All eggs must be hormone-free and if they are USDA graded eggs they must be antibiotic-free as well.

8. Pasteurized – Most eggs that are available to supermarkets are pasteurized. This process heats the eggs to a point that is just below the “cooking point” to kill bacteria.

Does the color of the egg make a difference?

No, the color of the egg has no impact on the nutritional qualities of the egg and should not come into play when choosing your egg.

Dr. Ray’s Notes:
I personally prefer pasture-raised eggs and get mine from Springfield Farms. The eggs are much more nutritious and they taste better! There are some more conventionally available eggs such as Eggland’s Best which are also good quality. In my book though, you just cannot beat the eggs produced from chickens that live a happy life on the pasture pecking away at grass and bugs! Now THAT is an incredible, edible EGG!

Nutritionists have long been singing chocolate’s praises as an antioxidant rich food, and it has even been observed its many positive effects on the circulatory system. Other studies have shown it to have anticancer and brain stimulating properties, as well. Now don’t get too excited – this isn’t a free pass to eat as much chocolate as you can humanly manage. As with any high-energy food, excessive consumption increases the risk of obesity and care should be taken to choose high quality, preferably pure and organic sources of chocolate low in artificial ingredients and high in raw cocoa (where all the healthy chemical compounds come from). Fortunately, all it takes is a modest serving of dark chocolate, consumed once a week, to provide your body with all of its stroke preventing benefits.
Luckily, most grocerie stores and websites offer high cocoa (70-85% cocoa content) bars. You should avoid milk chocolate and high-sugar chocolate bars as their antioxidant levels will be too low and the high sugar content will offset any benefits provided by the potent antioxidants. High-antioxidant cocoa products are even coming in supplement form in order to give you a concentrated dose of these antioxidant compounds. If you prefer, you can also purchase concentrated cocoa in powder form and add it to milk or a protein shake for a quick and easy shot of antioxidants, remember to pay close attention to the sugar content.
There are two main concerns with chocolate. First is the impact on weight. Many weight loss blogs and weight loss podcasts suggest that all chocolate is bad, however, I have found that there is no evidence to support this suggestion. In fact, the dark, high-cocoa chocolate can be consumed in small quantities to take care of that nagging sweet-tooth. Second is the belief that chocolate can negatively impact the bones. Although consuming the “fake chocolate” products that are high in sugar and low in antioxidants could increase the risk of bone loss, the small quantities of “real”, high-cocoa chocolate is completely safe for people with bone loss. Who knows, the antioxidants in cocoa may actually prove to be a component of a natural program for osteoporosis .

The most important thing that you need to know about high blood pressure is that it is generally not a disease, instead, it’s a symptom of a body that is biochemically out of balance. In this article, we will teach you a simple three step system for natural blood pressure control using only diet and natural remedies. The purpose of such a program is to achieve one thing…bring the body back into perfect balance so that blood pressure is controlled by the body’s own homeostatic systems.

Step 1: Find Out Why You Have High Blood Pressure

I am not going to leave you to figure this out on your own, nor am I going to leave it to your busy, overworked doctor either. Below are the tests that you should ask your doctor for to figure out why your blood pressure may be elevated:

1. Fasting Insulin Levels & Hemoglobin a1c – The number one cause of elevated blood pressure is elevated insulin levels and the resulting metabolic syndrome. These two tests will help to diagnose a metabolic syndrome and may help to save you from a future diabetes diagnosis.
2. Potassium (K) & intracellular magnesium (RBC-Mg) – These two minerals are essential to a healthy blood pressure. If either, or both, are low or low-normal, this could be one indication as to why your blood pressure is elevated.
3. Vitamin D – Vitamin D deficiency is common in our society and when vitamin D is low, the cardiovascular system does not work properly.
4. RBC-Mg (Red blood cell magnesium) – Magnesium deficiency is a common problem in our society and the consequences can be devastating. Magnesium acts as a natural calcium channel blocker and works to relax the blood vessels.

Step 2: 3 Dietary Changes for a Healthy Blood Pressure

1. Decrease carbohydrate intake. Carbohydrates increase insulin production which causes fluid retention, inflammation and electrolyte imbalance.
2. Remove all unhealthy fats. These fats include trans-fatty acids and cooked omega-6 fatty acids from vegetable oils.
3. Make the Magic Salad for Blood Pressure every day. I have designed a salad recipe that will flood your body with hypertension- blasting ingredients which are high in potassium, magnesium and phytochemicals that will lower blood pressure and promote wellness. The ingredients are as follows:

• Organic field greens (available at Costco and most local grocery stores)
• Organic carrots
• Celery
• Green & Red Peppers
• Radishes
• Mushrooms
• Fresh parsley
• Tomatoes
• Braggs Apple cider vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil

Eat at least one large salad, containing these ingredients every day. Note: Some medications, called ACE Inhibitors, can cause your body to retain potassium. If you are on these medication, your doctor should monitor your potassium closely.

Step 3: Use the right natural supplements to promote a healthy blood pressure.

Supplements can be an effective tool in your struggle to normalize blood pressure. The goals of a natural program for high blood pressure are three fold:

1. Normalize deficiencies (such as potassium, magnesium zinc, omega-3, etc.)
2. Decrease resistance to insulin
3. Relax blood vessels & normalize fluid balance

There are a few natural remedies that we recommend for normalizing blood pressure.

1. WholeMega by New Chapter – This omega-3 supplement provides a healthy balance of essential fatty acids that help to relax and improve the elasticity of blood vessels. Recommended dose: 2 capsules twice daily.
2. Cardiotonic-BP by Natura Health Products – I have used this formula in my practice for almost a year, it is a blend of some of natures most powerful herbal and nutritional ingredients for a healthy blood pressure. 3 capsules twice daily.
3. Coenzyme Q10 – CoQ10 helps to energize the cells and protect the vessels from free radicals that can harm the blood pressure. Research has not delineated the exact mechanism by which CoQ10 positively impacts the blood pressure; but it can have a significant impact on blood pressure while positively impacting overall wellness.

Examples discussed in the column over the past years include the fact that we are the only animal that drinks the milk of a different animal and drinks milk after we’ve been weaned. This has resulted in numerous health issues that may be hard to directly link to the consumption of milk, but nonetheless are health condition that improve with the avoidance of dairy products.

We are the only animal that artificially extends daylight hours, through the use of electricity and light bulbs, which has a clear effect upon the way our bodies use sugar and store fat. To our body, it is always August (the time of the longest exposure to sunlight) and our bodies are programmed to crave carbohydrates and store fat to prepare for the coming “winter” with less food available and colder temperatures to endure. The spread of affordable electricity coincides with the spread of diabetes, heart disease and obesity in this country.

The topic for this column has to do with a different way that we alter nature’s plan… and the short-term and long-term negative effects of not respecting “the way things were meant to be.”

A ruminant is an animal that is designed to eat certain kinds of foods and digest those foods in a certain way. Ruminants, examples of which are cows and sheep, eat grass. Eat may not be the proper term… they actually eat it, then eat it again, and still again, in a very specific manner that allows for the proper digestion and the ability to create protein from a food source that has very little protein to begin with. Ruminants have stomachs that are vastly different from ours… in fact some people interpret a cow to have 4 stomachs (which technically is not the case, each chamber has a specific name and function).

A cow has a particular relationship with the grass that it eats and the environment that it lives in… a relationship that works perfectly for the animal, the grass, and the ecosystem around them. By grazing a pasture, the cow maintains the integrity of the field by weeding out saplings before they are able to grow into trees that would disrupt the grassland, by planting grass seeds through the digging of their hooves and by fertilizing the grasses as it goes along. The grass provides the perfect food for the cow to grow and reproduce.

If this is the way that nature intended for a particular animal and the environment to interact, in perfect harmony, then why has the cattle industry grown in a way that completely disrupts this process and relationship? That is the question of the day… and the answer is easy… it always comes down to money! But the less obvious concern is the negative ramifications to our health and the health of the world around us as a result of interference with the delicate balance of a complex system.

So… I ask you… what is the true cost of beef?

The fact is that a cow in nature, left to its own devices, would only eat grass. The only grains that it would consume would be very small amounts of grass seeds. But, the beef that we eat is known as “corn-fed” beef, unless you are buying pasture-fed beef, which is more expensive and less available (and don’t be fooled into thinking that “organic” beef is not corn-fed, because it very well might be… just organic corn).

One reason that the beef industry has resorted to using corn as the mainstay in the cattle’s diet is because it is the cheapest, most plentiful, most compact and most portable option available. It allows for the feeding of the highest number of animals on the smallest plot of land.

But maybe the bigger reason for corn feeding is the corns’ ability (along with protein supplements and hormones) to get the cattle to slaughter weight in the shortest amount of time. You see… time is of the essence when you are talking about delivering a commodity that is in big demand. In the early 1900s a typical steer would take 4 to 5 years to get to an acceptable size and weight for “harvesting.” In the 1950s, the time frame was more like 2 to 3 years.

Today, the high-tech business of cattle growing turns a calf into a 1250-pound steer, ready for the butcher, in only 14 to 16 months. Boy… talk about fast food!

This all came about because of the widespread use of petrochemical fertilizers and the surplus of corn that resulted after World War II. Believe it or not, because of corn surpluses and federal subsidies, the price of corn is actually 50 cents per bushel less than the cost of growing it! What a bargain! Did you know that it takes 1.2 gallons of oil to make the chemicals used as fertilizers to produce each bushel of corn?

The problem, though, is that the cow was not designed to eat and digest grains like corn. Corn-fed cattle certainly do grow fatter faster, but the negative consequences to the health of the cow are numerous and far-reaching… requiring all sorts of “remedies” that further negatively affect the health of those who end up eating the cow… namely… US!

Here is the way it works… the corn causes a marked change in the pH of the gut of the cow… it makes it much more acidic. This causes a significant change in the kind of bacteria that lives in the gut of the cow and in the function of the cow’s immune system. This, in turn, creates the need for the constant use of antibiotics in the cattle-feed. The antibiotics further degrade the proper bacterial balance inside the cow and work to create resistant bacteria that like to live in an acidic environment.

In normal circumstances, when eating grass, the gut pH of a cow is practically neutral… and the bacteria that live there and play a vital role with digestion thrive in that environment. Those bacteria would have a hard time living in an acidic environment… the stomach, say, of a different animal that may be more acidic… like that of a human. But these new bugs that are created and strengthened through the above-described process actually prefer the acidic environment of parts of the human gastro-intestinal tract and can wreck havoc on our health. An example would be the recently described E.Coli 0157 strain, which can be responsible for killing a human with a minimal exposure.

The “feedlot life” of the commercial cattle is much like the life of a major European city of the 1400s… tremendously crowded conditions, constant new arrivals from all over the country, extremely poor sanitation (cattle literally wade a foot deep in their waste)… and the predictable result of unbelievably poor health.

Cattle are also almost universally given estrogen implants to help increase weight and fat in quick fashion. The incentive for the producer is hard to ignore. The implants cost about $1.50 each and the hormones are responsible for a 40 to 50 pound increase at time of slaughter, which translates into at least $25 more dollars for the steer… sometimes that is the only margin that the producers actually make.

Of course, there are the trace amounts of the hormones that show up in the finished product (steaks, burgers, etc) to be concerned about… but what about those of us who avoid the beef? Increased synthetic growth hormones have shown up in feedlot waste, which get into the ground water. Scientists have started to discover fish showing abnormal sex characteristics in waters that are downstream from feedlots.

Is it just a coincidence that conditions like breast cancer, falling sperm counts and premature maturation in girls are more common since these cattle raising practices have been in use?

The entire story above aside, the most insidious result of modern cattle producing practices is that the quality of fats in the cow changes markedly, and that’s why eating beef is unhealthy. Madison Avenue has so successfully marketed us about beef that we actually think that “corn-fed” beef is preferred. And, I guess, from a certain viewpoint, it is… feeding cattle corn certainly does help develop “well-marbled” flesh, which the UDSA grading system actually rewards.

But, the fats are the saturated fats, Omega-6, that promote inflammation and ill-health… things like cancer and heart disease. In actuality, the negative health issues associated with eating beef may really be from eating corn-fed beef. Cattle that eat the way nature intended produce the proper ratio of Omega 3 to Omega 6 fats that help to prevent ill health instead of promote it.

In essence, we have converted the cow from an efficient, solar-powered protein-producing machine into another machine that requires fossil fuels to run… just what we need in today’s world!

So… what is the true cost of beef? Let’s figure it out… 25 pounds of corn a day… that’s 284 gallons of oil per steer… add the cost of the antibiotics used… and the considerably higher cost of the results of the antibiotic use including food poisoning from rogue bacteria… the cost of cancer and heart disease treatments… sounds a little more expensive than the $1.29/pound special at the local super market!